Rose Corcoran-Smith

1948 - 2024

News story
By Mike Sigov
Blade staff writer

Rose Corcoran-Smith, a longtime Spanish teacher at Springfield High School, died April 10 at ProMedica Toledo Hospital. She was 75.

Her sister, Cathy Dyko, said Mrs. Corcoran-Smith died of complications from pancreatic cancer.

"She loved her students, and she was in love with the Spanish culture," said Marcia Ruegsegger, a friend and former colleague. "She brought it out in her class every way she could, through dance, through song, through sharing her travel experiences.

"... She was energetic and creative in her teaching, and she was loved by students and her fellow teachers alike."

Mrs. Corcoran-Smith retired from Springfield High in 2002, after teaching Spanish for 30 years, during which time she also taught English to graduate students at Alcalá University outside Madrid, for 10 years during the summer.

"She was the biggest fountain of knowledge: She taught me tons about how to teach a class, how to present information, how to do interactive activities with them, and, most importantly, how to respect students," said Tim Hood, a Spanish teacher at Ottawa Hills High School, adding that Mrs. Corcoran-Smith mentored him when he was a University of Toledo student, majoring in teaching Spanish and French.

She was "extremely caring, motivating, and creative," Mrs. Dyko said.

"They cooked in her [Spanish] classes, they played role games, they did everything," Mrs. Dyko said. "She also taught them Spanish cultural practices and history."

Over the years, Mrs. Corcoran-Smith was also active in a Toledo Sister Cities International program that involved Toledo, Spain.

"Rose was the example of how to show love to others and how to be loved," Mr. Hood said. "Everything that she did, she did it with love. ... And she was enamored with the Spanish culture. She lived it in her heart."

In retirement, she kept in touch with former students and colleagues and enjoyed giving them a life advice, Mrs. Dyko said.

Born Oct. 13, 1948, in Toledo to Martha and Harold Corcoran, she graduated in 1966 from Central Catholic High School.

She later obtained a bachelor's degree in education from University of Toledo. While in college, she spent a semester in Puerto Rico as an exchange student. She later received a master's degree in Spanish from Bowling Green State University before continuing her Spanish studies in Spain for a time.

In her free time, Corcoran-Smith liked to be with family and friends. She traveled extensively in the country and overseas.

Mrs. Corcoran-Smith was preceded in death by her brothers, Daniel and Robert Corcoran.

Surviving are her husband, Jim Smith, whom she married in 1979; stepson, Jeffery Smith; stepdaughter, Karen Smith-Zakrajsek; sister, Cathy Dyko; a granddaughter, and a great-grandson.

Visitation will start at noon April 20 at Walker Funeral Home, 6155 W. Sylvania Ave, where a funeral service will immediately follow at 3 p.m.

A celebration of life ceremony will be scheduled at a later date.

The family suggests tributes to Blessings in Disguise, Maumee.